Lift mechanism for strip guides



March 5, 1940. w, c, MOB/N 2,192,409

LIFT MECHANISM FOR STRIP GUIDES Filed Feb. 4, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Will/am CMcBa/n L IFT MECHANISM FOR STRIP GUIDES Filed Feb. 4, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR mi M M March 5, 1940. w. c. M BAIN 2,192,409

LIFT MECHANISM FOR STRIP GUIDES Filed Feb. 4, 19$ 3 Sheets-Sheet ,5

{O 0 i Q 0 1C jazz, mz w INVENTOR as a... s, 1940 2,192,409

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LIFT MECHANISM FOR STRIP GUIDES William C. McBain, Youngstown, Ohio Application February 4, 1938, Serial No. 188,868 9 Claims. (01. 80-51) This invention relates to guides for directing Figure 4 is a view partly in section along the strip between the rolls of a rolling mill, and in line IV--IV of Figure 3 with parts in elevation. particular, to apparatus for mounting the top Referring now in detail to the drawings and for guide for movement into and out of cooperative the present to Figures 1 and 2, the invention is 5 position relative to the bottom guide which is adapted to be installed upon a rolling mill com- 5 relatively fixed. prising housings l0 and H having work rolls l2 Cooperating top and bottom guides have long and backing rolls l3, joumaled in chucks disbeen used in connection with strip mills, and it posed in the housing windows, all in the usual has also been proposed to mount the top guide and well known manner. The details of the mill associated with a reversing mill for movement out may be varied within wide range limits, are not 10 of operating position, to facilitate inspection of part of the present invention, and therefore, rethe strip as it leaves the mill. Top and bottom quire no further description. guides are provided on both sides of a reversing Top and bottom guides, indicated generally at mill, the top guide on the entering side being in H and I5, cooperate to direct a strip passing l5 operative position while the top guide on the exit therebetween into the bite of the rolls !2. The

side is retracted. The object of my invention is bottom guide I5 is carried on a so-called sepato improve upon the mechanisms known heretorator l6, which is merely a shelf-like member exfore for mounting the top guide for movement tending between the housings ill and Ii. The into and out of operative position. bottom guide l5 comprises a guide proper, shown In accordance with the invention, I provide at H, formed of wooden members secured to 20 suspension members pivoted to the top guide and cross pieces in the form of channels iii. A guide to a suitable support, whereby the top guide is frame composed of longitudinal members l9 and supported for swinging movement. One form of side' plates 20 rests on an adjusting wedge 2|, mechanism for retracting the top guide is manpositioned in a suitably shaped recess in the sepua'lly operable and includes a crank and linkage arator it. An adjusting screw 22, threaded 25 effective on rotation to swing the top guide to through a thrust bearing 2% on the wedge and up-tilted position. In another form of the ininto a tapped hole on the separator facilitates vention, power means eiiects the swinging of the adjustment of the wedge. Additional adjusting top guide. In both cases, tilting links, pivoted to screws 24, 25, and 26 permit adjustment of the the top guide and to fixed fulcrums, control the guide frame and guide proper. 30 position of the guide as it swings upwardly away While the details of the bottom guide have been from thebottom guide. described for the sake of clearness, it is to be A further feature of the invention is that the noted that any suitable form of bottom guide suspension members on which the top guide is construction may be employed as the details suppbrted are adjustable to compensate for difthereof have no relation to the mounting of the 35 ferences in the thickness of the strip or the guide guide wherein the Present invention particumembers which have actual contact with the lally residesstrip. The suspension members also include The top guide, indicated r l y t l4, also mean whereby the top guide is permitted to includes guide mmbers which have actual under excessive upward pressure exerted thereon Sliding Contact wlth the strip as 1t enters the 40 by the Strip entering the min mill. These members are preferably of wood and The following detailed description refers to the are secured to cross pieces The assembled accompanying drawings illustrating both the guide memhers are carried oh fiaime composed manually operable and powepopemtecl forms of of longitudinal members 29 and side plates 30.

the invention In the drawings. A. forward cross bar 3i is secured to the ends of 45 Figure 1 plan View of manually oper the longitudinal members 29 and side plates 30 and bears on the forward channel 28. A similar able ghde'hfhhg mechanism the housings of the cross bar 32 is adjustable relative to the rear or mhl on which is mounted. being shown in outer ends of the members 29 and 30 and bears tion; on the rear channel 28. An adjusting screw 33 50 Fi ure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line has a thrust bearing 34 on the cross bar 28 and 11-11 of Figure engages the rear cross bar 32 to adjust the guide Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1, showing proper H to such a position as to provide suitthe power-operated form of guide-lifting mechaable clearance between same and the work roll I2. nism; Adjusting screws 35 and 36 are threaded into 55 toothed segment I", secured to the housing". Movement of the shaft-ill, as in the case of the corresponding structure of Figures 1 and 2, causes vertical adjustment of the top guide 18.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description and explanation that the invention comprises a simple yet highly effective mechanism for operating the movable top guide of a strip mill from cooperative relation with the bottom guide to a retracted position such that it does not interfere with observation of the strip leaving' the mill. It will be understood, of course, that similar operating mechanism will be provided for the top guides on both sides of the mill and'that they will be appropriately operated to move the top guide on the entering side into cooperative position with the bottom guide and atthe same time to move the top guide on the exit side to the dotted line position shown in Figure 2 :or 4. Relatively little effort is required to operate the manually operable lift, while in the case of the power-operated lift, it is only necessary to manipulate the control valve. The adjustment of the top guide, effected by rotation of the shaft supporting the guide-suspending members, permits the spacing between the top and bottom guides to be varied to accommodate different thicknesses of strip, as well as to compensate for wear in the guide members themselves, which are usually of wood. The thumb screws and 36 hold the guide proper 21 against the guide frame 30, which is pivoted on the shaft. and is free to swing thereon through a small arc. By this means, the pressure of the upper guide is suitably distributed on the strip when it is being rolled. The compressible linkage shown in Figure 2 for supporting the top guide permits the latter to yield upwardly when an exceptionally thick portion of the strip enters the guides. The

' tilting links insure that the rear end of the top guide is sufflciently elevated when the guide is retracted, and the extent of this elevation may be adjusted by means of the turn buckles incorporated in the links.

Although I have illustrated and described but two preferred forms of the invention, it will be understood that changes in the construction and operation disclosed may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forthin the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The combination with a rolling mill having spaced housings and top and bottom strip guides disposed therebetween, of lift mechanism for said top guide comprising hangers pivoted to the top guide and to a cross shaft extending between housings above said top guide, a second cross shaft extending between said housings above said top guide and having a crank arm, and a link connected to said top guide and said crank arm whereby rotation of the latter causes said top guide to tilt upwardly and rearwardly and swing said hangers on said first mentioned shaft, said hangers including telescoping spring-urged members for relieving excess upward pressure exerted on said top guide by the strip passing between the guides.

2-. Guiding mechanism for directing strip between the rolls of a rolling mill, comprising a relatively fixed bottom guide, a top guide movable into and out of cooperative relation with the bottom guide, suspension members pivoted to the top guide, a support for said members above the top guide, a crank arm, means above the top guide supporting said arm for rotation, a

link pivoted to said arm and the top guide where by the top guide is swung upwardly and rearwardly to a position out of cooperative relation with the bottom guide oh rotation of said crank in one direction,, and a tilting link having one end pivoted to a fixed fulcrum and the other end pivoted to said top.guide at a point spaced from that at which the suspension members are pivoted thereto, and effective to tilt the top guide upwardly at the rear.

3. Guiding mechanism for directing strip between the rolls of a rolling mill, comprising a relatively fixed bottom guide, a top guide movable into and out of cooperative relation with the bottom guide, suspension members pivoted to the top guide, a support for said members above the top guide, a crank arm, means above the top guide supporting said arm for rotation, a link pivoted to said arm and the top guide whereby the top guide is swung upwardly and rearward- .ly to a position out of cooperative relation with the bottom guide on rotation of said crank in one direction, and means whereby said support may be adjusted toward and from said bottom guide.

4. Guiding mechanism for directing strip between the rolls of a rolling mill, comprising a relatively flxed bottom guide, a top guide movable into and out of cooperative relation with the bottom guide, suspension members pivoted to the top guide, a support for said members above the top guide, a crank arm, means above the top guide supporting said arm for rotation, a link pivoted to said arm and the top guide whereby the top guide is swung upwardly and rearwardly to a position out of cooperative relation with the bottom guide on rotation of said crank in one direction, said support comprising a shaft'having eccentrics on which said suspension members are journaled, and means for angularly adjusting said shaft.

5. Guiding mechanism for directing strip between the rolls of a rolling mill, comprising a relatively fixed bottom guide, a top guide movable into and out of cooperative relation with the bottom guide, suspension members pivoted to the top guide, a support for said members above the top guide, a crank arm, means above the top guide supporting said arm for rotation, a link pivoted to said arm and the top guide whereby the top guide is swung upwardly and rearwardly to a position out of cooperative relation with the bottom guide on rotation of said crank in one direction, each of said suspension members including a bearing on a shaft carried by the top guide and a bearing on a shaft thereabove, and a stud having one end threaded into one bearing and its other end slidably received in the other bearing.

6. The combination with a rolling mill having spaced housings and top and bottom strip guides disposed therebetween, of lift mechanism for said top guide, comprising hangers pivoted to the top guide on an axis intermediate the. ends thereof and to a cross shaft extending between housings above said top guide, a retracting link pivoted to said top guide substantially at said axis, and a second link pivoted to said top guide at a point spaced from said axis and to a fixed fulcrum, whereby said guide tilts upwardly and rearwardly on retraction.

'7. Guiding mechanism for directing strip between the rolls of a rolling mill, comprising a relatively fixed bottom guide, a top guide movable into and out of cooperative relation with the bot-- tom guide, suspension members pivoted to the top guide along a transverse axis, a support for said members above the top guide, a retracting link pivoted to the top guide. and a second link pivoted to said top guide at a point spacedfrom said axis and to a fixed fulcrum, whereby the top guide is swung upwardly and rearwardly to a position out of cooperative relation with thejbottom guide on retraction by said link.

8. Apparatus for movably supporting a top guide adapted to cooperatewith a relatively fixed guide in directing strip between the rolls of a mill, said apparatus comprising a shaft extending parallel to said rolls, a link pivoted to said top guide, a second shaft parallel to the first mentioned shaft, a crank on said second shaft to which said link is pivoted, eccentrics mounted on said first mentioned shaft carryingbearings suspending said guide, means on said second shaft suitably arranged for rotating it to one of two selected positions, and means for holding said crank in a selected position.

9. Apparatus for supporting a top guide for a rolling mill comprising a swingable hanger pivoted to the guide along a transverse axis intermediate the ends thereof, a link pivoted to the guide for swinging the guide on its hanger, and a second link pivoted to said guide at a point spaced from said axis whereb to effect angular movement of the guide on swinging thereof with said hanger.

WILLIAM C. McBAIN. 

